Spindrift 2, the largest racing trimaran in the world, unveiled

Summarising the plans of the Spindrift racing team, Dona Bertarelli and Yann Guichard revealed the new colours, design and program of the maxi trimaran, Spindrift 2, on Tuesday, July 2 at Lorient. The former Banque Populaire V, the boat is the largest racing trimaran in the world and holder of nine world records, including the Jules Verne trophy. Spindrift 2 will start a summer racing program of records and training to allow Bertarelli and Guichard intimate knowledge and control, with a view to their ambitions to rewrite the greatest records in sailing.

Bertarelli and Guichard, owners of three Spindrift racing multihulls; the D35 catamaran Ladycat, the MOD70 Spindrift and the maxi trimaran Spindrift 2, are going to juggle the coming seasons in the pursuit of excellence on board these three exciting boats. The last to be added to the stable, the maxi trimaran, Spindrift 2, will debut in the summer of 2013 and mobilise all the energy of the team.

The challenge is for both skippers and the racing team and shore crew to learn how to harness the power of the biggest racing trimaran in the world. The boat has a new coat of black, white and gold, styled like its stable mates. All the Spindrift racing team has spent time during Route des Princes working on optimising a boat that was tried and tested, but Bertarelli and Guichard want to apply the latest technology to improve performance wherever possible. A new rig is well on the way, with a lighter mast suitable for the envisaged record campaign. Hunting for areas where weight can be lost is an open book, but not at any cost. 'We will reduce the sail area and are seeking the perfect balance between weight and power in order to make performance gains,' Guichard said.

The design was Bertarelli’s domain and she took special care to design Spindrift 2, as she had done previously for Ladycat and Spindrift.

'This was the work of the team with conversations between Yann, Christophe Schmid, our graphic artist and Jean-Baptiste Epron. The implementation of the design was carried out largely by Léo Lucet, Antoine Carraz and our technical team, who have been actively involved so the result met with my expectations. It was about finding a harmony between three boats in the team, so that at first glance one can recognise their stable. I also wanted a clean design, that was both elegant and unconventional for such a huge boat. The colours black, white and gold were already decided. These colours define us well ; black: competitiveness, determination, commitment, strength, surpassing yourself; white: purity, wisdom, discipline, team spirit, sharing ; and gold: the elegance, femininity, passion, the exceptional, originality, great feats, the colour of victory...'

For many years Bertarelli and Guichard have applied their talent and passion for speed sailing on multihulls. As well as his Olympic pedigree, Guichard is also one of the undisputed specialists in oceanic trimarans; he was meticulous in learning his trade on the now defunct ORMA-class trimarans, before becoming one of the leaders of the new MOD70 class, with which he won the championship in 2012. 'The maxi trimaran Spindrift 2 takes us in a whole new dimension,' Guichard says. 'We want to take the time to tame this giant of the seas without any shortcuts.' The Rolex Fastnet race will offer the Spindrift racing team the opportunity to make its debut this summer on a maxi trimaran which knows the way from Cowes to Plymouth via southern Ireland, since it already holds the record for the event. «Spindrift 2 has enormous intrinsic qualities,' Guichard said. 'It is for us to discover the best way to add our thinking on optimising the platform.'

The amount of sailing will increase during the second half of 2013 to prepare for the record campaigns in the coming years. It will be a studious end to the year for the Spindrift team as part of a projected 4-year program. 'We have given ourselves four years to mature and establish new record times over the most significant courses,» Bertarelli said. «We are working on different possible sail configurations with a new rig,' Yann said. The objective is to optimise this new sail plan for the Jules Verne Trophy. The current mast is suitable for particular records such as the 24-hour or the North Atlantic. The Route du Rhum in 2014 is an opportunity that we are studying,'» Dona said. 'It is a legendary race that any sailor or team aspires to do. As a competitor, it is the ultimate challenge that I want to attempt,' Yann said. 'This is quite a technical study and we have already begun to determine if this maxi trimaran can be sailed alone.'

Spindrift 2 will participate in the Rolex Fastnet race on August 11. Under the colours of its former owner (Banque Populaire V), the boat is the record holder of the event, with a time of in 1 day 8 hours and 48 minutes, at an average speed of 18.1 knots.

Dona Bertarelli and Yann Guichard will then consider an attempt on the Discovery Route in the autumn. The record time belongs to the maxi trimaran Groupama 3 (Franck Cammas) and was established in May 2007 in 7 days 10 hours 58 minutes and 53 seconds.

A transatlantic return to Europe is the plan for this winter, with, if the opportunity arises, an attempt for the 24-hour distance record (90 miles, 37.8 knots average) set by the same boat – then Banque Populaire V.

The Channel Record between Cowes (England) and Dinard (France): A record held by Maiden 2 (Brian Thompson) since 2000 in 5 hours 23 minutes and 38 seconds, at an average speed of 25.60 knots.

2014 program

Route du Rhum - from Saint Malo in November 2014
or
North Atlantic Record : New York - Lizard
Held by the Maxi Banque Populaire V (Pascal Bidegorry) since August 2, 2009: 3 days 15 hours and 25 minutes and 48 seconds, at an average of 33.41 knots.

The Round Britain: Record held by the Maxi Banque Populaire V (Pascal Bidegorry) since July 2011 : 3 days 3 hours 49 minutes and 14 seconds, at an average speed of 23.3 knots.

Mediterranean record: Marseille (France) - Carthage (Tunisia): Held by the Maxi Banque Populaire V (Pascal Bidegorry) since May 16, 2010 with a time of 14 hours, 20 minutes and 34 seconds.

24-hour Record - world record for distance sailed in 24hrs: Held by the Maxi Banque Populaire V (Pascal Bidegorry) since August 1, 2009: 908.2 miles, at an average speed of 37.8 knots, with a top speed of 47.16 knots.

2015-2016 program

Retry the following records if they have not been broken:

Record of the North Atlantic: New York – Lizard: Held by the Maxi Banque Populaire V (Pascal Bidegorry) since August 2, 2009: 3 days 15 hours and 25 minutes and 48 seconds, at an average speed of 33.41 knots.

Mediterranean record: Marseille (France) - Carthage (Tunisia): Held by the Maxi Banque Populaire V (Pascal Bidegorry) since May 16, 2010 with a time of 14 hours, 20 minutes and 34 seconds.

24-hour Record - world record for distance sailed in 24hrs: Held by the Maxi Banque Populaire V (Pascal Bidegorry) since August 1, 2009: 908.2 miles, at an average speed of 37.8 knots, with a top speed of 47.16 knots.

Jules Verne Trophy. Around the world via the three capes: Good Hope, Leeuwin and Horn.
Held by the Maxi Banque Populaire V (Loick Peyron) since January 6, 2012: 45 days 13 hours 42 minutes and 53 seconds, at an average speed of 19.75 knots.